Club Drugs Use, Effects, Dangers and Club Drugs Rehab Info

Club drugs got their name because they are often used by young adults at all-night dance parties. "Club drug" is a vague term that refers to a wide variety of drugs. Uncertainties about the drug sources, pharmacological agents, chemicals used to manufacture them, and possible contaminants make it difficult to determine toxicity, consequences, and symptoms that might be expected in a particular community. The information in this alert will be useful, whatever the local situation. Chronic abuse of MDMA, for example, appears to produce long-term damage to serotonin-containing neurons in the brain. Because some club drugs are colorless, tasteless, and odorless, they can be added unobtrusively to beverages by individuals who want to intoxicate or sedate others. In recent years, there has been an increase in reports of club drugs used to commit sexual assaults. Research has shown that use of club drugs can cause serious health problems and, in some cases, death. Used in combination with alcohol, these drugs are even more dangerous.

MDMA

MDMA was developed and patented in the early 1900's as a chemical precursor in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals. Chemically, MDMA is similar to the stimulant amphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. MDMA can produce both stimulant and psychedelic effects. MDMA is taken orally, usually in a tablet or a capsule. MDMA's effects last approximately 3 to 6 hours, though confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, and paranoia have been reported to occur even weeks after the drug is taken. Street names include Ecstasy, XTC, X, Adam, Clarity and Lover's Speed.

GHB

GHB can be produced in clear liquid, white powder, tablet, and capsule forms, and it is often used in combination with alcohol, making it even more dangerous. GHB has been increasingly involved in poisonings, overdoses, "date rapes," and fatalities. The drug is used predominantly by adolescents and young adults, often when they attend nightclubs and raves. GHB is often manufactured in homes with recipes and ingredients found and purchased on the Internet. Street names include Grievous Bodily Harm, G, Liquid Ecstasy and Georgia Home Boy.

Ketamine

Ketamine is an injectable anesthetic that has been approved for both human and animal use in medical settings since 1970. About 90 percent of the ketamine legally sold today is intended for veterinary use. Ketamine gained popularity for abuse in the 1980s, when it was realized that large doses cause reactions similar to those associated with use of phencyclidine (PCP), such as dream-like states and hallucinations. Ketamine is produced in liquid form or as a white powder that is often snorted or smoked with marijuana or tobacco products. Street names include Special K, K, Vitamin K and Cat Valiums.

Rohypnol

Rohypnol belongs to the class of drugs known as benzodiazepines. It is not approved for prescription use in the United States, although it is approved in Europe and is used in more than 60 countries as a treatment for insomnia, as a sedative, and as a pre-surgery anesthetic. Rohypnol is tasteless and odorless, and it dissolves easily in carbonated beverages. The sedative and toxic effects of Rohypnol are aggravated by concurrent use of alcohol. Even without alcohol, a dose of Rohypnol as small as 1 mg can impair a victim for 8 to 12 hours. Street names include Roofies, Roche and Forget-me Pill.

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is a toxic, addictive stimulant that affects many areas of the central nervous system. The drug is often made in clandestine laboratories from relatively inexpensive over-the-counter ingredients. It is being used by diverse groups, including young adults who attend raves, in many regions of the country. Available in many forms, methamphetamine can be smoked, snorted, injected, or orally ingested. Street names include Speed, Ice, Chalk, Meth, Crystal, Crank, Fire and Glass.

LSD

LSD is a hallucinogen. It induces abnormalities in sensory perceptions. The effects of LSD are unpredictable depending on the amount taken, on the surroundings in which the drug is used, and on the user's personality, mood, and expectations. LSD is typically taken by mouth. It is sold in tablet, capsule, and liquid forms as well as in pieces of blotter paper that have absorbed the drug. Street names include Acid, Boomers and Yellow Sunshine. Typically an LSD user feels the effects of the drug 30 to 90 minutes after taking it. The physical effects include dilated pupils, higher body temperature, increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, dry mouth, and tremors.

Source: The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

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